Meet Fred Wiley

I think it would be interesting to convene a co-ed panel of authors to talk about the characters they created whom they most loved and were drawn to sexually. Do we unconsciously (or consciously) create our ideal lovers?

Frankly, I think this is a far more interesting question than the many more numerous questions I answer about Rae Hart, the horrible she-he villain in January Moon. I suspect that I have created a character with major staying power when I created Rae because she certainly generates a great deal of curiosity. One of the most consistent (and persistent) questions I answer is “have you ever known anyone like Rae Hart?”

To which I say “Holy shit, no! And I hope to God I never do…”

It was tough enough to create Rae Hart and then have her take up residence in my mind for twelve weeks… whew… by the time I finished the story I had enough of her!

Will she return in future Del Carter stories…???? Well, maybe… but I’ll not say more about that here at this time… (hee hee).

Hands down, however, the MOST talked about character in January Moon — the one who absolutely has elicited the MOST emotional response — is Wolf. Wolf trumps Rae in all conversations about the characters in the book and I love that because I love Wolf and I am crazy insanely happy when other people love Wolf too.

I am also frequently asked if Wolf will return in any sequels to January Moon. Absolutely! Just look at the cover for March Storm and you’ll see beloved, heroic Wolf.

But now let’s return to my original statement: Do we [authors] unconsciously (or consciously) create our ideal lovers?

I love Del Carter and when I created Del I had a very distinct man in mind and I’m delighted with the outcome. However, something happened that was unexpected when I created Fred Wiley… and it was puzzling… he was so familiar to me! I’ve never known a man quite like Fred but I think he is an amalgam of all the men I’ve most desired, whether in reality or in my dreams.

Last week I had a conversation with a screen writer (quite thrilling to discuss how January Moon could be rewritten for film!) and as we pushed and prodded one another’s creative energy it came to me that Wiley was a character who could be placed anywhere around the country and that he was the quintessential cop of both our imaginations and experiences. Del is flashy, sharp, complex, and very much “Chicago.” Wiley is everything else…

Both men are heroes, both men are wonderful, yes both men are flawed — but I tend to think, at least as I’m sitting here now, three years after I gave birth to both of these grown men, that if I had an itch I’d want Fred to scratch it… know what I mean?